Process for the removal of undesired flavour and odour components from potassium lactate

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a process for the removal of undesirable flavours and odours from potassium lactate, wherein the potassium lactate is treated with active carbon. According to this method a potassium lactate is obtained which does not have the bitter aftertaste of the potassium lactate according to the state of the art.

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for the removal ofundesirable flavours and odours from potassium lactate. The inventionfurther relates to the potassium lactate obtained with such a processand the use thereof in foodstuffs such as meat and sauces.

[0002] Potassium lactate is a product, which is mainly used in the meatindustry. It is used in the same application as sodium lactate, namelyfor shelf life extension and safety enhancement. The use of potassiumlactate is more and more preferred since it is believed that the use ofsodium can cause hypertension. The disadvantage of most potassium salts,however, is their flavour. They cause a bitter aftertaste. There istherefore a need for a potassium lactate having improved flavour andodour properties.

[0003] It has now been found that the undesired flavour and odoursubstances can be removed from potassium lactate by treating it withactive carbon. The resulting potassium lactate is less bitter and has avery favourable flavour and odour profile and is thus accepted by alarge part of the population.

[0004] According to the present invention the active carbon used ispreferably pre-treated by washing with hydrochloric acid andneutralising with sodium bicarbonate. The active carbon preferably has aparticle size of 0.5 to 3 mm, more preferably 0.9 to 1.1 mm. The activecarbon is based on mineral coal.

[0005] The potassium lactate is treated in the form of an aqueoussolution. The concentration of potassium lactate in the solution to betreated is 40 to 80% by weight, based on the combined weight of waterand potassium lactate. The amount of active carbon is about 0.5 to 2grams active carbon per kg potassium lactate. The temperature of thesolution is generally 20-60° C.

[0006] As indicated-above, potassium lactate is used as an additive inthe meat industry. Other foodstuff additives normally used in the meatindustry such as acetic acid, sodium acetate, sodium diacetate,potassium acetate, potassium diacetate, citric acid, sodium citrate andpotassium citrate may also be present in the potassium lactate solution.It was found that active carbon treatment does not detrimentally affectthe taste and odour of the other foodstuff additives.

[0007] The process according to the present invention can be carried outcontinuously or batch wise. In a batch wise process the active carbon ismixed with the solution of potassium lactate and stirred. After acontact time of 20 to 40 minutes the active carbon and the potassiumlactate solution are separated, preferably by filtration.

[0008] However, it is preferred to carry out the present inventioncontinuously. In that case the active carbon is present in a columnthrough which the potassium lactate solution is passed in a downward orupward direction. Preferably the potassium lactate solution is suppliedto the top of the column and moved downward through the column. To thisend, suitable pumping means can be connected to the column.

[0009] After leaving the column the potassium lactate solution issubjected to filtration to remove any remaining active carbon.Preferably the filtration is carried out in two steps, the first stepconsisting of removal of particles larger than 1 μm, the second step ofremoval of particles larger than 0.5 μm.

[0010] The residence time of the potassium lactate solution in thecolumn of active carbon will generally be from 20 to 40 minutes.According to the present invention also a combination of several columnsof active carbon, for instance two columns in parallel, can be used.

[0011] The present invention also provides an apparatus for carrying outthe process, which comprises a column filled with active carbon,connected to pumping means for supplying the potassium lactate solutionto be treated and suitable piping to connect the pumping means to theactive carbon column. The output of the active carbon column isconnected through suitable piping to one or more filters. Examples ofsuitable filters are bag filters.

[0012] The present invention also relates to the potassium lactate orpotassium lactate-containing liquid or solution obtained with theprocess described above. This potassium lactate, potassiumlactate-containing liquid or solution is characterised by a flavourprofile in which the following characteristics are substantially absent:metal flavour and bitterness. It is further characterised by an odourprofile in which the following characteristics are substantially absent:intense odour, pungent odour, harsh odour and ferrnentative odour.

[0013] The potassium lactate, the potassium lactate-containing liquid orsolution obtained can be used in foodstuffs. It will be present in thefoodstuffs up to a level of 5-weight % based on the total weight of thefoodstuff. Examples of foodstuffs are meat and poultry products, readyto eat meals, soups and sauces. The potassium lactate provides for ahigh safety level of the meat and poultry products and a longer shelflife of food products in general, without negatively effecting thesensory properties of the end product. The foodstuffs indicated have apH of 5 to 8.

[0014] The potassium lactate, potassium lactate-containing liquid orsolution may be added at any time during preparation of the foodstuff.It may even be added to the foodstuff after preparation.

[0015] As mentioned-above, the treated potassium lactate can be used incombination with other food acids and their derivatives, such as aceticacid, sodium acetate, sodium diacetate, potassium acetate, potassiumdiacetate, citric acid, sodium citrate and potassium citrate. Saidadditional foodstuff additives may be added separately to the foodstuffor in combination with the treated potassium lactate, potassiumlactate-containing liquid or solution.

EXAMPLES

[0016] In the examples a column of active carbon obtained from Chemvironcarbon is used containing Food Grade Cyclesorb HP. This column has thefollowing characteristics: volume carbon: 2 m³ volume vessel: 2.35 m³diameter: 1500 mm height: 2300 mm

[0017] Two of these vessels in parallel were used. The flow rate ofpotassium lactate through the columns is 5 m³/hour. The temperature is35° C. The columns are combined with two filters. The first filter is abag filter eliminating all particles larger than 1 μm. The second filteris a filter removing particles larger than 0.5 μm.

Example 1

[0018] A tasting test was carried out with sausages containing bothtreated and untreated potassium lactate. For the taste test solutions of1.25% lactate in water were prepared. These batches were used also forodour tests. For the taste test in cooked sausages 3% of potassiumlactate (either treated or untreated) was added to the meat dough. Forthis test a standard recipe of cooked sausages was used. Table 1 givesthe composition of the meat dough. All tests were done in a triangletest. TABLE 1 Composition of the meat dough Ingredients Dosage (%)Minced beef 10 Minced pork 42.5 Minced pork fat 35 Water/ice 10Spice-mix 0.35 Sodium ascorbate 0.05 Cutter phosphate 0.3 Colorozo 1.8(salt + nitrite)

[0019] The sausages were prepared by placing the minced beef, pork andpork fat in a chopping bowl. These three ingredients were chopped forapproximately 1 minute. The ice and the rest of the ingredients wereadded. The entire mixture was chopped for approximately 5 minutes. Thetotal batch was divided into smaller batches. The desired additive wasadded to the batch and chopped for 3 minutes. The mixture obtained wasfilled into artificial casings with a diameter of 35 mm. The sausagesobtained were cooked for 45 minutes at 80° C. (the internal temp. of thesausages will be 72° C.). Next the sausages were cooled till roomtemperature and quickly frozen at −34° C.

[0020] Results

[0021] In the tasting test of the purified potassium lactate solution inwater there is a significant difference between the potassium lactatebefore and after purification. The purified potassium lactate tastesless bitter. Their odour of the treated potassium lactate in water isalso significantly less than that of the non-treated potassium lactate.In sausages 47% of the panellists finds a difference in taste.

[0022] The results are shown in FIG. 1, which shows the percentagepanellist that are able to taste difference between commerciallyavailable untreated potassium lactate and potassium lactate treatedaccording to the invention.

Example 2

[0023] A tasting test was carried out with chicken sausages containingsodium lactate, treated and untreated potassium lactate. All samplescontained 2.5 and 3.3% lactate respectively.

[0024] The sausages were prepared by cutting the chicken meat in smallpieces, adding 0.5% phosphate and 1.5% salt and mixing well. The meatwas stored in the refrigerator for 18 hours. The total batch was dividedinto smaller batches. The desired additive was added to the batch. Themixture obtained was filled into casings and pasteurised for 45 minutesat 80° C. The sausages were stored in a refrigerator for a few days andtested on taste.

[0025] Results

[0026] The sausages containing treated potassium lactate tasted betterthat sausages containing sodium lactate and sausages containinguntreated potassium lactate. The aftertaste of the sausages containingtreated potassium lactate was less than the aftertaste of sausagescontaining untreated potassium lactate. The potassium lactate-containingsausages were less salty than the sodium lactate-containing sausages.The sausages containing 3.3% treated potassium lactate tasted less saltythan the sausages containing 2.5% sodium lactate.

1. Process for the removal of undesirable flavours and odours frompotassium lactate, wherein the potassium lactate is treated with activecarbon.
 2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the active carbon has aparticle size of 0.5 to 3 mm.
 3. Process according to claim 1 or 2,wherein the active carbon is pre-treated by washing with hydrochloricacid and neutralising with sodium bicarbonate.
 4. Process according toany of the preceding claims, wherein the potassium lactate is in theform of an aqueous solution containing 40 to 80% potassium lactate,based on the combined weight of water and potassium lactate.
 5. Processaccording to claim 4, wherein the potassium lactate solution containsadditional foodstuff additives.
 6. Process according to claim 5 whereinthe additional foodstuff additives are selected from acetic acid, sodiumacetate, sodium diacetate, potassium acetate, potassium diacetate,citric acid, sodium citrate and potassium citrate or mixtures thereof 7.Process according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which process is carriedout continuously, wherein the potassium lactate is passed through acolumn of active carbon.
 8. Process according to claim 7, wherein thepotassium lactate after passage through the column of active carbon isfurther supplied to a filter, whereby particles larger than 1 μm areremoved.
 9. Process according to claim 8, wherein after the first filterthe potassium lactate solution is supplied to a filter, wherebyparticles larger than 0.5 μm are removed.
 10. Process according to anyone of claims 7-9, wherein the residence time of the potassium lactatesolution in the column of active carbon is 20 to 40 minutes.
 11. Processaccording to one of the previous claims, wherein the temperature of thesolution is 20-60° C.
 12. Process according to any one of claims 1-5,wherein the potassium lactate solution is mixed with active carbon, thesolution is stirred during 20 to 40 minutes, and the active carbon isseparated from the potassium lactate.
 13. Potassium lactate, potassiumlactate-containing liquid or solution obtained by the process accordingto any one of the previous claims, characterised by a flavour profile inwhich the following characteristics are substantially absent: metalflavour and bitterness.
 14. Potassium lactate, potassiumlactate-containing liquid or solution obtainable by the processaccording to any one of claims 1-12, characterised by a flavour profilein which the following characteristics are substantially absent: wateryflavour, metal flavour and bitterness.
 15. Potassium lactate, potassiumlactate-containing liquid or solution according to claim 13 or 14,characterised by an odour profile in which the following characteristicsare substantially absent: intense odour, pungent odour, harsh odour andfermentative odour.
 16. Foodstuff, characterised in that it contains upto 5 wt. %, on the basis of the total weight of the foodstuff, of thepotassium lactate, potassium lactate-containing liquid or solutionaccording to any one of claims 13-15.
 17. Foodstuff according to claim16, characterised in that it is selected from meat and poultry products,ready to eat meals, soups and sauces.